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Tennessee tight end Ethan Wolf (82) celebrates with Tennessee tight end Brendan Downs (85) after his touchdown in the first half as the University of Tennessee plays Utah State at Neyland Stadium.
Sunday Aug. 31, 2014, in Knoxville, TN.
(Photo: Larry McCormack)

"I didn't have the nerves I've had in the past," Worley said. "It goes back to my confidence level, the confidence I have in these guys, the confidence I have in the offensive scheme and everything. This being the second year (as a starter), my confidence is a lot higher. I tried to go out there and play like that."

Worley threw touchdown passes to Brendan Downs, Von Pearson and Beech's Jalen Hurd in front of a sellout crowd of 102,455 at Neyland Stadium. His 27 completions were a career high.

Worley outperformed Chuckie Keeton, who was playing for the first time since tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee last October. Keeton went 18 of 35 for 144 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown pass. He also ran for 12 yards on eight carries.

Tennessee is relying heavily on newcomers as it attempts to end a string of four straight losing seasons, and the Vols wasted no time making an impact. By the midway point of the first quarter, Tennessee already had played 16 true freshmen, the most ever used by the Vols in a season opener. They ended up using 21 true freshmen.

Two of Worley's TD passes went to newcomers; Hurd is a freshman and Pearson a junior-college transfer. Todd Kelly Jr., another freshman, had a fumble recovery that set up a touchdown.

"You can't really focus on one guy," Worley said. "There are several guys we can attack you with."

Utah State, one of only nine Football Bowl Subdivision teams to win at least 20 games combined in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, has a reputation for scaring big-name opponents and playing well away from home. But the Aggies didn't put up much of a fight Sunday.

"There's obviously nothing positive that we can take way from the field," Utah State offensive tackle Kevin Whimpey said. "All I can say is that's not the Utah State Aggies that I'm accustomed to, and we'll do everything we can starting as soon as we land in Logan, to right the ship and to play and win the Mountain West championship."

Tennessee opened the scoring by getting two touchdowns in a span of 14 seconds six minutes into the game.

Alton "Pig" Howard got things started with an 8-yard run around the right end for the junior's first career rushing touchdown. When Utah State's Kennedy Williams took the ensuing kickoff out of the end zone, A.J. Johnson knocked the ball away and Kelly recovered. On the next play, Worley found tight end Brendan Downs for a 12-yard touchdown.

The turnover on the kickoff return marked just the second career forced fumble for Johnson, a senior All-Southeastern Conference linebacker. He added his first career interception in the fourth quarter, setting up Marlin Lane's 7-yard touchdown run.

Tennessee extended the advantage to 17-0 by halftime. Utah State didn't reach Tennessee territory until the opening series of the second half, a drive that ended with Jake Thompson's 48-yard field-goal attempt going wide left.

The Vols then put the game away by reaching the end zone on each of its first two second-half possessions.

Pearson caught a short pass, made a nifty move around a defender and scored from 18 yards out late in the third. Hurd's 15-yard reception on the first play of the fourth quarter made it 31-0.

Utah State broke up the shutout bid on Keeton's 37-yard touchdown pass from Keeton to Hunter Sharp with 14:16 remaining.

"We had every intention of coming in here and competing," Utah State coach Matt Wells said. "I think we did for a while. We're used to competing a heck of a lot longer."

The Vols host Arkansas State next Saturday at 11 a.m.

Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd (1) runs in for a touchdown as the University of Tennessee plays Utah State at Neyland Stadium. Sunday Aug. 31, 2014, in Knoxville, TN.(Photo: Larry McCormack)

Tennessee players go through the "T" before opening the season against Utah State at Neyland Stadium. LARRY MCCORMACK / THE TENNESSEAN

TENNESSEE

Beat Utah State 38-7, Sunday

Justin Worley threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns to help Tennessee beat Utah State. Worley completed his first 13 passes of the second halfand finished with a career-best 27 completions. Two of Worley's three TD passes went to newcomers; Hurd is a freshman and Pearson a junior-college transfer. Todd Kelly Jr., another freshman, had a fumble recovery that set up a touchdown.

Vanderbilt's Jake Bernstein (53) hangs his head on the sideline in the last minutes of a 37-7 loss against Temple. PHOTO BY JAE S. LEE / THE TENNESSEAN

VANDERBILT

Lost to Temple 37-7, Thursday

The Commodores opened the Derek Mason era with a surprising loss to Temple. Vanderbilt turned the ball over seven times in a game that did not start until 9:53 p.m. because of lightning delays. Patton Robinette, Stephen Rivers and Johnny McCrary all saw time at quarterback for an ineffective Vanderbilt offense.

Alabama running back Derrick Henry (27) dives into the end zone for a touchdown as West Virginia safety Dravon Henry (6) defends during the second half. AP PHOTO

ALABAMA

Beat West Virginia 33-23, Saturday

Alabama's T.J. Yeldon (126 yards, 2 TDs) and Derrick Henry (113 yards, 1 TD) each had big games to back QB Blake Sims in his first career start, but the No. 2 Tide's normally stout defense was shredded for 365 passing yards by West Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.

The Razorbacks went into halftime tied with No. 6 Auburn at 21, but could not maintain the momentum after allowing 24 unanswered points in the second half. Brandon Allen threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes for Arkansas.

Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall (14) runs in for a touchdown as he is hit by Arkansas safety Josh Liddell (28) during the second half. USA TODAY SPORTS PHOTO

AUBURN

Beat Arkansas 45-21, Saturday

Jeremy Johnson passed for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the first half and Nick Marshall returned from suspension with a 19-yard scoring run to lift No. 6 Auburn to an opening victory over Arkansas. Cameron Artis-Payne rushed for a career-high 177 yards and Jermaine Whitehead returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown for the Tigers.

Florida's game against Idaho was canceled after repeated lightning delays. AP PHOTO

FLORIDA

Game vs. Idaho canceled, unsafe field conditions

The Idaho-Florida game was canceled because of unsafe field conditions. No makeup date was scheduled. The season opener started after a nearly three-hour lightning delay - and then stopped after 10 seconds. Florida's Valdez Showers electrified the rain-soaked crowd with a 64-yard return on the opening kickoff. But then lightning was detected again and the game was canceled about 50 minutes later.

Georgia's Todd Gurley, left, breaks away from Clemson's Kyrin Priester on his way to a 100-yard kickoff return. AP PHOTO

GEORGIA

Beat Clemson 45-21, Saturday

Georgia running back Todd Gurley took over in the second half for the Bulldogs, finishing with a career-high 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Gurley added a 100-yard kickoff return for a score, while the Bulldogs' defense held Clemson scoreless in the second half by forcing three-and-outs on six of seven Clemson possessions.

Braylon Heard's first-half touchdown runs of 73 and 43 yards spurred the Wildcats to a rout of UT Martin. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles added a TD passing and running in his first career start for Kentucky, while throwing for 370 yards.

Kenny Hilliard scored on a 28-yard touchdown run to cap a fourth-quarter rally for No. 13 LSU in a win over No. 14 Wisconsin in Houston. The Tigers extended the nation's longest regular-season nonconference winning streak to 46 games after coming back from a 24-7 deficit in the fourth quarter

Dak Prescott threw for a career-high 284 yards and four touchdowns, including two to De'Runnya Wilson, and Mississippi State cruised over Southern Miss. A few Mississippi State hiccups kept the game close early, but the Bulldogs scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and gained 387 yards in the first half for a 28-0 lead.

Maty Mauk threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 24 Missouri past South Dakota State. Mauk seemed at ease early, finding receiver Darius White crossing behind the defense for a 44-yard touchdown just 50 seconds into the game. The Tigers extended their lead to 21-10 at halftime and never trailed.

Ole Miss receiver Cody Core splits the Boise State defense on his way to a 76-yard touchdown. AP PHOTO

OLE MISS

Beat Boise State 35-13, Thursday

Bo Wallace threw four touchdown passes and three interceptions in a sloppy season opener, and No. 18 Ole Miss pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Boise State on Thursday. Ole Miss led only 7-6 entering the fourth quarter before finishing off Boise State when Wallace threw for TDs on three consecutive throws.

South Carolina's defense allowed school records for passing yards (511) and total yards (680) as the Gamecocks saw their 18-game home winning streak end. Coach Steve Spurrier had won 21 straight season-opening games dating back to 1989, when he was the coach at Duke.

Kenny Hill threw for a school-record 511 yards in his first career start for Texas A&M. USA TODAY SPORTS PHOTO

TEXAS A&M

Beat South Carolina 52-28, Thursday

Kenny Hill broke Johnny Manziel's single-game passing record with 511 yards and No. 21 Texas A&M beat No. 9 South Carolina, ending the Gamecocks' 18-game home win streak. Hill's performance in his first career start proved there is plenty of life in the Aggies' offense. Hill finished 44-of-60 with three touchdowns.